entomology (English)
Where does "entomology" come from?
The English word 'entomology' reaches us from the French 'entomologie'[1]. This French term was built from Ancient Greek elements, combining 'ἔντομον' meaning 'insect' with the suffix '-logie' derived from '-λογία' meaning '-logy'[1]. The Greek root 'ἔντομον' originates as a substantive of 'ἔντομος' meaning 'cut into pieces', which itself joins 'ἐν-' meaning 'in' with 'τόμος' meaning 'slice'[2][3].
Open questions
- The Ancient Greek root ἔντομον historically functioned as a substantive of ἔντομος with an ellipsed word for beast. [2]
Full etymology tree
- entomology (English), 'The scientific study of insects, and (informal) of other arthropods (and occasionally other invertebrates).'
- borrowed entomologie (French), 'entomology'
- derived ἔντομον (éntomon) (Ancient Greek), 'insect'
- derived ἔντομος (éntomos) (Ancient Greek), 'cut in pieces, cut up'
- compound ἐν- (en-) (Ancient Greek), 'in-'
- compound τόμος (tómos) (Ancient Greek), 'slice, piece'
- derived ἔντομος (éntomos) (Ancient Greek), 'cut in pieces, cut up'
- suffix -logie (French), '-logy'
- derived ἔντομον (éntomon) (Ancient Greek), 'insect'
- borrowed entomologie (French), 'entomology'
Ancestors
- entomologie (French)
- ἔντομον (Ancient Greek)
- -λογία (Ancient Greek)
Descendants and derived words
- entomologic (English)
- entomological (English)
- entomologically (English)
- entomologist (English)
- entomologize (English)
- ethnoentomology (English)
- Lubarsky's law of cybernetic entomology (English)
- palaeoentomology (English)
- paleoentomology (English)
- radioentomology (English)
Sources
- entomology (English) - Wiktionary
- ἔντομον (éntomon) (Ancient Greek) - Wiktionary
- ἔντομος (éntomos) (Ancient Greek) - Wiktionary
Updated September 2026
Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris